Geocaching with Scouts

It's been a month ago, or maybe even six weeks ago, that I taught my scouts all about GPS and how it works.  They were excited to soon go geocaching.

Unfortunately, things kept happening that prevented us from actually going.

Finally, on Thursday night, we got to go.  The scouts had a blast.  Geocaching in the dark with a whole bunch of scouts is a little strange.  I had reminded them beforehand to be respectful of people and property and they did a very good job of that.

We ended up visiting 3 geocaches.  At the third geocache, we had just found the cache (after quite a search.  It was hidden WELL) and we looked over and saw what appeared to be a reflective vest--the kind that crossing guards wear.  Someone was standing on the sidewalk, looking at us.  I walked over to the person to make sure that it wasn't a neighborhood watch person or someone like that who was wondering what a dozen people were doing around a tree in a park well after dark.

It turned out to be a mentally-challenged person.  He finally asked me "What's going on?" and I told him that we were a boy scout troop out having some night fun.  He grinned a huge grin and said, "Oooohhh!  Boy Scouts!"  and went merrily on his way.

I think that a couple of my scouts are going to pester their parents to get them a GPS for Christmas this year.